Once in a Potters Moon
by Eiris
Summary: A Witch decended from Merlin himself, raised in an alternate world, finds herself bot only in her favorite book series, but in the house of the main character near the begining of the books! looking to Update 2 times every Thursday. knock on wood
1. Enter the World

_**Chapter One**_

The Entrance

"_I'm more obsessed with the idea of vacation than any one particular vacation spot. I love to explore new places and cultures." ~ Candice Accola_

"_He'll be all right," murmured Ginny. As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand absentmindedly and touched the lightning scar on his forehead. "I know he will." The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well._

And as I read those last words in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows… I felt this pulling sensation in my gut.

How strange. Oh well, maybe I'm just sad about finishing the final book in my absolute favorite book series, Harry Potter, written by J.K. Rowling.

I'm Anatheema Harmony Ambrosious… I know, I know, it's a very unique name.

Well, my parents are… harsh. They wanted a boy and they got me instead. My first name means – and I quote – "A person or thing detested or loathed... or even a curse, an execration."

My Middle name was given to me by my Grandmother… she said it came to her in a dream that I would bring Peace and Harmony to those around me.

Also… we are the descendants of Merlin Ambrosious, right hand and 'Wizard' to King Arthur of Camelot… the air-quotes are because he was only a Mage, not a Wizard. To be a Witch or Wizard one had to be Selfless. Great-great-great-great-grandpa Merlin was a selfish man who tried to fully expose Magic because he was 'tired of hiding his gift'.

I'm 4 foot 6 inches tall; I have milky pale skin, red-brown hair, and blue-green eyes. I'm a bit chubby at 140 pounds, and I'm American. Also I'm only 13 years old.

I got up from the brown leather couch and walked into the small kitchen of my Grandmother's house. It was 3 in the afternoon and I was looking through the fridge for my first meal of the day, when the strange feeling in my gut happened again and I could swear it was trying to pull me somewhere… man, I was probably starving. I hadn't put that book down sense 6 o'clock this morning.

I grabbed the cold Meat Lovers' Pizza with Buffalo Medium Hot Wings cut up all over the top and heated up two slices. Just as the Microwave beeped, my gut got that feeling again – but this time, darkness took over and I was gone.

_**Chapter Two**_

The Arrival

"_The road not take was not your path." ~ __Michael Lipsey_

I landed in an empty Living Room. There were pictures all over the place of a rather large male child in different colored bonnets… he looked rather like the image I had in my head of what Dudley Dursley would have looked like if the People in the Harry Potter books were real.

Suddenly the door opened. "Go… Cupboard… Stay… No Meals" a Man of larger stature said to a scrawny boy about 11-years-old. Poor boy looked starved already.

As they turned around to come into their living room, they caught sight of me.

"Petunia! Call the Cops, we have a trespasser!" the Man said. He was about 5 foot 10 inches tall, with blond almost white hair that he looked like he was going bald… he's mustache was the same color as his hair, and his eyes were a lighter blue color. If I had to guess, I would say he was around 430 pounds?

"No! Please, I – I swear, I don't remember _how_ I got in here. I blacked out after… a strange guy hit me in the head!" I lied flawlessly.

"Oh, you poor dear!" the woman, Petunia, cried out, coming over to me. "Where are your parents?" she asked me. This woman was actually quite thin, and I couldn't help thinking 'Lois and Peter Griffin anyone?' She was almost as tall as her husband, and had a double neck. Her hair was blonde as well, but a shade darker. Her eyes were Green – not like Harrys' but more like the color of a leaf before fall. Her teeth… well if they were the only thing I saw I'd say she was a horse.

"They died a long time ago, in a car crash. I was living with my Grandma, Aria, but the strange man killed her… I'm… oh god, I'm alone now!" I cried. Actual tears and everything. It wasn't true, but hey, a sob story could melt most people. It was easy because all I had to do was think about the fact that I was _obviously_ in the first Harry Potter book, meaning I wouldn't see Grandma Aria for a _long_ time…

I looked at Harry… wow. He truly was a scrawny boy. His hair was jet black, but I could see the prism of highlights that all hair had, his eyes were a beautiful shade of green- not quite Emerald, but not a grassy color either- and his _Scar_… the bolt of lightning, not quite covered by his hair, was a light red against his 'I've been indoors my whole life' white skin… amazing. And he was somewhere in the 4 foot 5 or 6 inch tall range.

"Well, we can't just throw her to the streets Vernon. Would you like for us to adopt you?" Petunia asked. Really? Me, I get to live with _Harry Potter_?

"I don't want to be burden…" I trailed off. Harry looked like he was fighting a smile. Oh my Grandfather! He _knew_ I was lying.

"It's no trouble at all dear! C'mon! To the car, boys," she said guiding me to the door.

Vernon was pushing Harry towards the cupboard.

"Wait… Can he come with us?" I asked, making myself sound so innocent, pointing at Harry.

"Why, dear?" Petunia looked at me quizzically.

Their son, Dudley, looked at me as though I was a puzzle. And you know Dudley… wouldn't know how to solve a kindergartener's puzzle if it bit him in the behind. He was Fat with a capital F. he also had Blonde hair but his was a rather dark color. Almost like wet sand on a beach. His skin was tanner than Harrys' but still a light color. And his eyes were the same blue as his fathers. He was about 4 foot 7 inches tall.

"He looks like my Twin Brother, Jason, the last time I saw them… before…" I lied, bursting into sobs once more. Wow… I was _good_. If I ever got back to my world, I should be an actress…

"Oh, all right then," she said, puckering her lips. Whoa… I thought Horses weren't allowed in living rooms…

I sat really close to Harry, and put both my arms around his right one.

"Your parents aren't really dead. Are they?" Harry whispered in my ear.

"No, but they wish I was. And before you ask no, I never did have a twin brother," I whispered against his neck. To anyone else it would look as though he was comforting me.

Petunia looked back at us. "So we have a bedroom for you to sleep in, but it also has all of Dudley's old toys in it… I hope that's okay," She looked apologetic. Guess she always wanted a daughter.

"Um… is – is he sleeping in the room to?" I asked motioning to Harry.

"No dear, Harry has his own place to sleep," she told me gently.

"But Jason and I were inseparable… I slept in the same bed… I – I _need_ someone to cuddle with," I said letting a few tears slip out. Grandma and I always cuddled, so that part was true.

Petunia looked at Vernon, and they seemed to have this whole unspoken conversation.

Looked like I was gonna get my way.

"Alright you can sleep in the cupboard with him," Vernon spat. He don't like me very much, do he? (Tweedy-Bird reference!)

So just to make them wonder, "Really? Oh thank you so much!" I made myself sound excited.

"Just where did you sleep when you lived with your grandmother?" Vernon asked.

"I slept on a patch of cement in the corner of the basement," I lied again.

Petunia looked mortified. Harry held me tighter, to the Dursley's it probably looked like he was comforting me, when in truth? He was trying so hard not to laugh, he was squeezing me.

After some time, we got to the Adoption Agency.

"And what's your name, Dear?" the nice lady asked me. I couldn't tell you her size, as she was sitting, but she was beautiful. Her Skin was a darker color; her eyes were like Cinnamon swirl Cocoa, and her Pitch black hair was in a French Braid down her back.

"I- It's Avoca. Avoca Harmony Ambrosious," I looked down. Hey, make the best and change the name I hate.

"Well, that's odd. We have no record of a young girl by your name. Ever," she said, turning to me.

"I was a home birth… I have no birth records, and I haven't been out of the house much, let alone the country… I'm from America after all…" Geez, this lying thing is hard.

"Oh, you poor thing!" The pretty woman said.

I was sitting in a chair next to Petunia and Vernon, as Harry and Dudley sat in the Waiting Room.

It took us almost 6 hours to get me a Birth Certificate, Social Security Number, and everything else I needed to live in this world. Then another 2 hours to get the Adoption Papers in order.

After all was said and done, I was officially Dudley Dursley's new sister. However I was keeping my name… mostly because Petunia thought it was 'Exotic'.

If not for me, Harry would have been in that Cupboard until after summer break started, but I 'needed someone to show me around the neighborhood, after all'.

Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches, and he didn't even _touch_ any of the books he got.

Dudley's stupid gang came by the house nearly every day, and me being near Harry is the only thing that kept him safe, but even I needed to use the toilet now and then.

I came out of the bathroom one day to hear Dudley tell Harry, "They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall, want to come upstairs and practice?" I was all too glad to hear Harry say, "No, thanks, the poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it – it might be sick." Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said. I smiled at that, remembering it from the book.

One day in July, 'Mom' went to buy Dudley his Smelting uniform in London, and I insisted on being with Harry at Mrs. Figg's house. I remember that she had tripped over one of her cats and wasn't quite as fond of them as before. I also knew better than to eat the chocolate cake she served Harry and I.

That night as Dudley Pranced around in his smelting uniform, Harry was holding back laughter. So was I but I was able to hide it better by simply smiling. 'Mom' and 'Dad' would think I thought nice things. But no I was thinking the same thing as Harry. Dudley truly _did_ look like pig in a wig, and that outfit… only served to make him look a bit bloated.

The next morning Harry and I entered the kitchen to smell something foul. Reminded me of when I was making tie-dyed shirts.

Harry looked in the large metal tub that Petunia was standing near and said, "What's this?" I remember from the books that what was in the pot looked like bits of dirty rags in grey water.

'Mom' pursed her lips and told him, "Your new school uniform."

"Oh. I didn't realize it had to be so wet," Harry remarked. "Don't be stupid! I'm dying some of Dudley's old things Grey for you. When I'm done it will look just like everyone else's," She snapped at him. I knew what Harry was thinking, but I didn't say anything, I just shook my head.

Thats when the mail slot clicked. "Get the mail, Dudley" Vernon said. "Make Harry get it," thats when i stood. "I'll get it," and walked away. When i saw two letters from Hogwarts i was confused. i looked and... one was mine. i hid the Letters in my bag by the door and took everyone elses to the kitchen. Later that day i took Harry to our room and said, "So you and i have mail... but i didnt think Vernon would let you have yours, and im not sure why i have one,"

With that we opened out Letters.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Of Course mine was addressed Ms. Ambrosious, not Mr. Potter, but still. I gasped. "Theres no return address. we have no way of telling them that we are stuck. though i get the feeling that they need an answer so... maybe no being able to respond will mean they send someone?" i said. Harry nodded, and we put it out of our minds...

Until more and more letters came and we still ended up on the damn little island in the run down hut. Vernon blamed Petunia for adopting a witch and they already hated Harry. of course i played confused at first.

But now, it was midnight on Harrys birthday. Thats when Hagrid bust down the door. I love Hagrid.


	2. Hagrid

_Chapter 3_

Hagrid

_"We live in a wonderful world that if full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open" - Jawaharlal Nehru_

There was a loud 'boom' as Hagrid banged on the door. "Where's the canon?" Dudley asked as he shot up. I was still snuggled up to Harry and that's the only thing that kept him from jumping up too. I suppose my calm demeanor helped keep Harry calm too.

That's when Vernon ran in with his rifle and Petunia on his heels. "Who's there? I warn you, I'm armed!" he shouted. Silence reigned for a moment before Hagrid succeeded in knocking the door down.

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…"

Dudley ran over to Petunia as I helped stand Harry up. "An' here's Harry! And Avoca! Las' time I saw yeh, yeh was only a baby, Harry. Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh got yer mums eyes," the giant said with mirth in his eyes.

"I demand that you leave at once, sir! You are breaking and entering!" Vernon shouted. I looked at him like he was stupid. Here was a man who was nearly _double_ his hight and he had the nerve to shout at him like that? Not to mention that this man _obviously_ knew wizards and was likely older than Vernon… I shook my head.

Hagrid reached over and snagged the gun, tying it in a knot like a length of rope before tossing it into the corner. I giggled and Harry tried not to.

"Happy Birthday, Harry. Got summat fer yeh here – I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right," Hagrid said to Harry as he pulled out the box holding a pink cake with green icing.

"Who –" I cut in before Harry could finish.

"Your name is Hagrid, right?" I asked. The giant flashed me a surprised look before grinning. "Tha's me! Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys, and Grounds at Hogwarts. What about that tea then, eh? I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh got it, mind."

"Sorry to say we don't have either. I apologize," I responded. The giant shrugged then bent down to the fire place as he lit it.

Hagrid began taking things from his pocket: a Kettle, package of sausage, a poker, teapot, several mugs, and of course alcohol. He made his tea and cooked his sausages and no one said a thing. Harry looked at me and I gave him a soft grin as we waited.

Hagrid passed a sausage to each Harry and I.

"Thank you, Hagrid," I said as I took the sausage and that prompted Harry to say thanks too. The giant waved it off.

"I'm sorry but I still don't really know who you are," Harry said between bites of sausage. "Like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts – yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course."

"Forgive us Hagrid, but Harry knows nothing about Hogwarts, or his parents. I have… unique circumstance, and that's the only reason I know. Our guardians, have decided they'd rather… not tell Harry about his parents at all," I said taking a sip of the tea I had been offered.

"_WHAT_? Not tell him! You've kept it from him all these years?!" Hagrid yelled as he stood and rounded on Vernon.

"It's okay, Hagrid. We did read the first letter. I'm sure Harry would have dismissed it as a prank if it hadn't been for the Dursleys reactions. In fact im sure the only reason they don't get rid of _me_ for it is because they legally adopted me already, and the neighbors would think it bad form if they did," I said.

Hagrid nodded before taking out the owl in his jacket and sent off a letter telling Dumbledore that he got us.

"They're not going!" Vernon said firmly. "I'd like to see you _try_ and stop us," I sneered.

"We swore when we took that boy in we'd put a stop to all that… rubbish. Swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed," Vernon humped.

'"You knew ?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a – a wizard?"'

'"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that - that school - and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was - a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family! Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as - as - abnormal - and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"

I was in front of her so fast she didn't have time to blink as I reeled back and slapped her. "How dare you. That is _not_ how you tell someone the way their parents died. That is the way a _child_ throws a _tantrum_. You are an adult, Petunia – act like one. As for you Harry… I'm so sorry. Your parents… they were killed by an Evil wizard. His name is Voldemort. Most wont tell you the name. They fear it… Hagrid, will you tell the rest?" I said. My voice was steady but it was apparent I wasn't just an 11 year old. I had been 13 when I was yanked across the universes and had somehow… gotten younger. But also… I had always been a seer for those I was close to. I couldn't see my future but that was a good thing to me.

Hagrid nodded hesitantly and began, "This - this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too - some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him - an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.

"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.

"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' - an'-"

Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.

"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad - knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find - anyway...

"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then - an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing - he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh - took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even - but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age - the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts - an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."

I could see the memory flash across Harrys face.

"Now, you listen here, boy," Vernon snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured - and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion - asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types - just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end-"

I whirled around and snapped at Vernon, "Enough! One more word, Vernon. That's all I have patience for from you. If you say ONE more word about the potters… I have no need of a wand. I have known Magic for years! So _shut up!_"

"But what happened… to you-know-who?" Harry asked. "No one knows. Vanished same night he tried ter kill you. Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back.

"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on - I dunno what it was, no one does - but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."

I saw the obvious respect in Hagrids eyes as he looked at Harry.

"Hagrid," Harry said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."

To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.

"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?"

I smiled as the memories crossed Harrys' face in a flash of confusion. Then… he smiled and looked between me and Hagrid. "Just you wait. You'll be right famous at Hogwarts!" Hagrid exclaimed.

That's when Vernon snapped. "They aren't going! I've read those letters, and they need all sorts of rubbish – books and _wands_"

"Can't stop us. You are a fool. Harrys name has been on the list since he was born. We will train under Professor Dumbledore and – "

"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH THEM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Vernon. I flinched, knowing what was about to happen. Hagrid snatched his umbrella and snarled at Vernon.

"NEVER – INSULT- ALBUS – DUMBLEDORE – IN – FRONT OF – ME!" and that's when Porker – I mean Dudley – got his tail!

I snickered as Vernon and Petunia ushered Dudley to their room. "Do not worry Hagrid. We wont tell ANYONE what you just did. Will we, Harry?" I asked through breathless giggles. Harry to his credit just chuckled and shook his head. "Not a word."

Hagrid grinned and replied "thanks."

'"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."

He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry and I.

"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' doormice in one o' the pockets."

I giggled again as I suggled into Harry and covered us with the blanket. I was asleep before I calmed my laughs.

We woke up to the Owl at the window in the morning.

'Tap. Tap. Tap.

"All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up."

He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off us. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.

Harry scrambled to his feet, and went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.

"Don't do that."

Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.

"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl-"

"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.

I snorted and pulled the Knuts out of Hagrids coat, putting 5 in the Owls leather pouch on his leg before saying "Thank you," as he flew off.

Hagrid yawned and stretched as he sat up. "How do yeh know so much of our world, and me?" Hagrid finally thought to ask. I shrugged. "I'll need to talk to Dumbledore before saying to anyone else…"

"Well, we best be off, then, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff for school."

"Um – Hagrid?"

"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.

"I haven't got any money - and you heard Uncle Vernon last night... he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."

"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"

"But if their house was destroyed-"

"and for… me? I know I don't have any money stashed away like Harry does," I asked softly, biting my lip.

"Well – no…" Hagrid hesitated.

"If I really do have money, do you think I wouldn't share with my sister?" Harry said with a cheeky grin. I smiled relieved.

"Then I suppose Gringotts is our first stop," Hagrid replied.

"That's the Wizard bank. Run by Goblins," I explained to Harry whose eyes widened.

"Goblins?"

"Yeah - so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe - 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you - gettin' things from Gringotts - knows he can trust me, see."

We followed Hagrid out to the boat. Harry asked how Hagrid got there and I giggled at the answer.

"Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh… Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter - er - speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?" We both shook our heads and the boat sped off.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.

"Spells - enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the high security vaults. And then yeh gotta find yer way - Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."

I did my best to keep a straight face and not think of book seven when Harry would rob the bank… with success.

"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page.

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before I could intervene.

"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."

That's when we reached the Harbor, and disembarked. As expected, people did stare at Hagrid. He was huge, after all. And he kept pointing at everyday objects and commenting about them…

"Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"

"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."

"You'd like one?"

"Wanted one ever since I was a kid - here we go."

I quickly took the 'muggle money' from Hagrid and bought the train tickets before he could say anything to draw attention. Of course Hagrid took up 2 seats and was knitting so I looked at Harry. "Got your letter? It has a list of what we need to buy."

He pulled his out at the same time I did and we read them:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_UNIFORM_

_First-year students will require:_

_1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags_

_COURSE BOOKS_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

_OTHER EQUIPMENT_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set of glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope set_

_1 brass scales_

_Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad_

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS_

"Before you ask Harry, Yes – we _Can_ get all this in London. We just need to go somewhere special," I winked.

Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, although he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.

"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops. "Me either," I muttered.

Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all we had to do was keep close behind him. We passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas.

"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place"

I laughed at the expression on Harrys face. He looked around and was obviously – to me – skeptical.

A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone knew Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.

"Careful Hagrid. Harry here would blow away with a stiff wind. You are much stronger than that," I giggled. Hagrid looked abashed and apologized but Harry laughed it off.

"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this - can this be - ?"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter... what an honor."

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."

Everyone was looking at Harry. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.

Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."

"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again - Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.

I _had_ to… I got in line and Harry didn't realize he was shaking my hand till I burst out laughing. He gave me a rueful grin, and I stuck my tongue out.

After meeting everyone – professor Quirrell included – Hagrid led us out to the Alley.

As Hagrid tapped the wall with his umbrella I grinned. I had always wanted to see this in person! The wall moved and I heard Harry gasp.

"Welcome! To Diagon Alley," Hagrid said with a florish. I chuckled and said I wanna see it ALL!" and so we headed to the bank.


	3. Shopping

_Chapter Four_

Shopping

_"__In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured" -__Gordon B. Hinckley_

I watched Harrys' reactions to everything as we walked do the Alley to Gringotts. I giggled as I Harrys' eyes widened upon seeing his first goblin, who was a head shorter than either Harry or myself. I saw the engraving on the silver doors and I smiled.

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

As we approached a 'free' goblin, Hagrid said "Morning. We've come ter take money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe," and before the Goblin could reply Harry chimed in "And add Avoca to my… er, account?"

"You have his Key, sir?" the Goblin directed to Hagrid. I helped Hagrid by snagging all the stuff he pulled from his pockets before he could set them on the counter. I knew the goblin would _not_ appreciate having that stuff up there.

"Got it," Hagrid said holding up a small golden key. The goblin took it and I discreetly started stuffing things back in Hagrids pockets as he grabbed the letter from Dumbledore.

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

I rolled my eyes, though Harry looked Curious. "One moment please, while I have an additional key made for ms…."

"Ambrosious," I said. The goblins all froze around the hall. The one we were dealing with began scrambling for a door behind him. When he re-emerged 10 minutes later he had another goblin with him.

"What did you say your name was?" this new goblin asked.

"Well my… full name is… Anathema Harmony Ambrosious… but I chose the name Avoca as my new first name," I replied seeing Harrys face to my real name.

"I'll need a strand of your hair," the Goblin said. I was confused but regardless reached up and pulled out 3, handing it to the goblin.

He rushed off again. When he returned, "Are you sure you wish to add miss Ambrosious to your account? It appears she already has one," I was stunned. "I do?"

"Indeed. It's been waiting for you for a good1000 years. Your ancestor had it made. And it has accumulated… interest in that time."

"Well… how? I shouldn't even exist in this world?!" I admit I shouted. I was getting hysterical.

"Merlin sent his family to another time, yes, but he knew someone would return," the goblin explained.

Hagrids eyes widened. "Merlin? The Merlin?"

"Yes," the goblin stated.

"I'll just… use my own account?" I was stunned. I knew my ancestor was Merlin but to have come from _this_ world just to end up in Camelot…

"Very well, I will have someone take you to the vaults. Griphook!" the older goblin shouted.

We followed this third goblin as everyone in the bank was staring at us. After all it wasn't every day you heard that Merlin himself had a descendant, and even Harry Potter himself as with her.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked.

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

Course I already knew but I didn't say anything.

We went through a door into a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches, sloping steeply downward. Griphook whistled and a small cart barely big enough for the 4 of us came rushing down the tracks in the floor.

The cart rushed off with all in it. Fast enough that my heart rate rose and my eyes stung from the wind. I giggled. I had always loved roller coasters.

I could see Harrys wonder and Hagrid looked ill.

Then as suddenly as the cart had started moving, it stopped. There was a small door in the passage wall and griphook hopped out to unlock it. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.

"All yours," Hagrid said to Harry with a smile. I gave a small smile myself at the wonder on his face.

Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.

"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh. Can we go more slowly?" Hagrid asked Griphook.

"One speed," was the stoic reply and I chuckled.

When we reached the stop – my vault – I was stunned. I was a bigger door, and inside… I could swim in it if id wanted.

After getting about the same amount as Harry out, I hopped back into the cart and we rushed off to Vault 713. Deeper and deeper we went. The air getting colder, corners getting tighter. Over an underground ravine, and bottomless chasm.

"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.

"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin. I gave a full-bellied laugh knowing that goblins don't joke.

All that was inside was a small brown parcel. Hagrid grabbed it and tucked it into his jacket. "Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.

One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts.

"Might as well get yer uniforms," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." I waved Hagrid off, and said, "Don't worry, Hagrid. You'd just be bored watching us get measured anyway."

He nodded and headed to the Leaky Cauldron, and we entered Madam Malkin's. I noticed that the book description was quite right on her. She was Squat, smiling and dressed in _all_ mauve… including her hair, lips and eyes.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

That's when I caught my first look at Draco Malfoy. He was about our height, with white hair and green eyes. He stood on the stool while another witch, in light brown robes pinned up the black ones he had on. Harry hopped onto a second stool and I waited as Madam Malkin slipped a robe over his head and began the process of pinning it up.

"Hello," said Draco, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," Draco responded. He sounded bored. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

"Have you got your own broom?" Draco went on.

"No," said Harry.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No," and I almost laughed at the short answers he was giving.

"I do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No," said Harry, and I spoke up. "No one _really_ knows, do they? But I'd guess you'll be Slytherin," That caused Draco to look at me and… smile?

"I hope so. My whole family has been for generations."

"Mmm," said Harry.

"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.

"That's Hagrid," Harry and I replied at once. "He works at Hogwarts," Harry continued.

"Oh," said Draco, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper," we said. "So more like he keeps the creatures from the forest from coming onto the grounds," I shrugged.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly. But I laughed. "Most likely he _does,_ but hes always been the kind to have a kind word so not exactly a savage."

Harry glanced at me with a grin.

"Why is he with you? Where are your parents?" Draco sneered.

"They're dead," said Harry shortly, "Mine are… missing," I added.

"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"

Before either Harry or I could snap at the boy, Madam Malkin announced she was done with Harry and I was up next.

"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," Draco called out as Harry went to sit with Hagrid.

"What's _your_ surname?" he asked me.

"Ambrosious," I replied shortly causing another bout of silent stares like at Gringotts.

"As in… Merlin Ambrosious?" Malkin asked, shyly.

I nodded. "Yeah. My Great-Something Grandfather I suppose."

Draco looked in awe, but the witch pining his garments announced he was done so off he went. When I was done, Madam Malkin tried to wave off payment "It's been an honor Ms. Ambrosious," but I insisted with a blush.

I could tell Harry and Hagrid had talked about Quidditch and houses by the time I emerged.

We arrived at Flourish and Blotts and got our books, parchment, ink and quills there. Though I slyly bought the book Harry had been looking at –_Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) _by_ Professor Vindictus Viridian_.

We got our Pewter Couldrens after I talked Harry out of a gold one ("Who knows what different metal can do to your potions?"), and got a nice set of scales and collapsible brass telescope each. We went to the Apothecary, which smelled horrid but had _every_ item we could need for potions. As Hagrid handled the man at the counter we looked at the unicorn horns (21 Galleons each) and Beetle eyes (5 Knuts a scoop).

Hagrid took us to Eeylops Owl Emporium and got Harry a beautiful Snowy Owl who was fast asleep, and I picked out a white cat from next door and named her Silver (Her eyes were clear like a diamond so it was a toss-up)

"Now the wands!" I exclaimed, and all but _dragged_ Harry to Olivanders.

Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Even the silence in this shop felt _charged_ with magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop, his head having the barest wisps of snowy hair around the sides, and his back hunched as though he spent too much time bent over and the waist.

"Hello," Harry sounded awkward but I smiled.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course." Then he turned to me. "And I didn't think I'd meet the famed Line of Ambrosious in my lifetime!"

He looked back to Harry. "And that's where..."

Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."

He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.

"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.

"Er - yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.

"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. He gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.

"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now - Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er - well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

I giggled as Harry _finally_ noticed the measuring tape doing its own thing. Ater more than 50 wands tried I piped in. :"Mr. Ollivander? Maybe… the Holly and Phoenix feather? Eleven inches, supple?" Ollivander froze. "I wonder, now - yes, why not - unusual combination, but…" And he shot off to grab it.

Harry gave me an odd look, but grabbed the wand, raising it above his head, and bringing it down. A stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious..."

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious... curious..."

"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar. I do wonder however… how you knew to try _that_ one?" Ollivander said looking at me. I shrugged.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."

We began looking for a wand to choose me.

We finally found one. Red Oak, Unicorn hair _and _Dragon Heartstring core, 10 ½ inches, slightly yielding flexibility.

Apparently quite strong.

I paid for both Harrys wand and mine – 14 Galleons – because I hadn't gotten him a gift yet. That prompted him to ask when my birthday was.

"Valentine's day," I shrugged. He snorted.

It was late afternoon as we left Diagon Alley with our trunks. We arrived at Paddington station and got Hamburgers before going to catch the train.

"You alright, Harry? Yer very quite," Hagrid asked.

"Everyone thinks I'm special," he replied. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander... but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry - I mean, the night my parents died."

Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.

"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts - I did - still do, 'smatter of fact."

Hagrid helped us onto the train that would take us back to the _Dursleys._ Then he handed us our tickets.

"Yer tickets fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September - King's Cross - it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me... See yeh soon, Harry, Avoca."

And we were off… back to hell.

A note from the Author

so Thank you for reading this story! its something i just dabble in, but im happy you all like it!


	4. Sorting

_Chapter Five_

Travel

_"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." – Andre Gide_

Our last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of us he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Petunia and Vernon didn't shut us in the cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him - in fact, they didn't speak to him at all. Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair we sat in were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.

We hung out in our room. We had been delegated to the Dudleys second bedroom. Harry had named his Owl Hedwig, as in the book he had found it in A History of Magic. Harry had taken to reading his books late into the night as Hedwig swooped in and out of the window or sat near Silver, and she had taken to bringing in dead mice to share with the cat who accepted them once in a while.

It was the last day of August went Harry went to ask Vernon for a lift to Kings Cross in the morning.

"Er - Uncle Vernon?"

Vernon grunted to show he was listening.

"Er - I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to - to go to Hogwarts."

Uncle Vernon grunted again.

"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"

Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.

"Thank you."

He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.

"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"

Harry didn't say anything.

"Where is this school, anyway?"

"I don't know," said Harry. He pulled the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.

"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.

Vernon and Petunia stared.

"Platform what?"

"Nine and three-quarters."

"Don't talk rubbish," said Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

"It's on my ticket."

"Barking," Vernon grumbled, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."

"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.

"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."

I tried not to laugh out loud, just in case it ruined our chance of a ride.

We were up early the next morning. And rather than try to get any extra sleep we triple checked that all our things were packed. We didn't put on our robe just yet. Rather we put on jeans and T-shirts till after we were on the train.

It wasn't till 7 am that our trunks were placed in the car, and I sat between Harry and Dudley because somehow Dudley was _less_ terrified of me, though I had been the one to make threats, not Harry.

We got to the Train station and about 10:30 and Vernon was just _so_ helpful as to put our trunks on trollys for us and even wheeled them into the station. Then with a nasty smirk he turned to us and said "Well, there you are. Platform nine - platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"

Then he rushed off. All three Dursley laughing as they sped away. Harry looked stunned, but I just grabbed his hand and said, "come on,"

I had already spotted the red headed family and dragged Harry that direction.

We got close just as Molly said " – Packed with muggles, of course"

"Now, what's the platform number?" said Molly.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, (Ginny) who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go..."

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

I saw Harry watching avidly, as Percy rushed the wall.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the next boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone. I dragged Harry with me as I laughed.

"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.

"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."

She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is - the thing is, I don't know how to-"

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

I rushed the wall before Harry could, but he entered shortly after.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. I walked confidently down the aisle as I heard "Gran, I've lost my toad again…"

"Oh, Neville," the Old woman sighed. I saw Lee with a box in his arm, and continued on till we reached an empty compartment.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.

"Yes, please, George" I said.

"Nah, I'm Fred," he tried, but I saw the slight differences. Barely there really. "Liar" I said with a laugh. He grinned and shouted, "Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you - ?"

"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" said Harry.

"Harry Potter." chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

I chuckled. "Oh Harry, you should get used to being _famous_"

"When you do, Ambrosious," Harry playfully snapped causing the Twins to gape.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mom."

With a last look at Harry and I, the twins hopped off the train.

Harry sat next to the window on one side and I sat across from him. I knew he was watching the twins.

"Ron you've got something on your nose," Molly said as she rubbed at him with a handkerchief. Ron jerked away but she was too fast and too strong for the boy.

"Mom - geroff" He wriggled free.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves-"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once-"

"Or twice-"

"A minute-"

"All summer-"

I laughed out loud, accidentally drawing the attention of the red haired family outside the window. Percy glared, and the twins gave me a blinding grin.

"Now, you two - this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've - you've blown up a toilet or-"

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."

"It's not funny. And look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

I giggled again, this time one of the twins – Fred – threw me a wink.

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?" fred asked.

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!" George shouted.

"And the girl with him? She the Lost Ambrosious people are talking about!" I let out a curse and Harry looked at me amused.

"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see them, Mom, eh please..."

"You've already seen them, Ginny, and those poor kids aren't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked them. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."

"Poor dear - no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform. But why was _she_ alone? Where are her parents…?"

A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."

"George!"

"Only joking, Mom."

I laughed again, and this time even Harry laughed.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat next to Harry. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry shook his head and Ron sat.

"Hey, Ron."

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."

I stood swiftly, "Wait for me!" I knew Harry would need to bond with Ron, and I could exactly force it.

I caught up to the twins.

"You like spiders?" Fred asked.

"Course! Just think of all the mischief just _one_ can cause!" I said.

The twins looked at each other.

"So… you like mischief?" George looked at me.

"Oh yes. I'm good at getting out of trouble," I smirked wickedly.

"Don't you mean getting into it?" Fred asked

"Nope! Either I'm not caught or I talk my way out of it," I smirked.

"Welcome to our group," they both said. Freds arm went around my waist and Georges went to my shoulders. I smiled tossing my arms around their waists.

After a bit of a walk, we made it to the compartment holding Lee and the twins luggage.

Lee looked at us funny, "Who's this then?"

"Hi. You must be Lee. I'm Avoca Ambrosious," I pulled my right arm from Georges waist and stuck it out for Lee to shake. He looked gob smacked.

"And you're hanging with these two?"

"What can I say? I _love_ a good joke," I grinned. And that's how I spent a few hours with them. Telling jokes, learning that the spider Lee had actually took a liking to me… but soon enough it was time to head back.

"But I need to change into my robes…" I pouted, when Fred asked me to stay.

"I can go get your trunk," George offered.

"Would you? Oh thank you!"

While he was gone, Draco appeared. "Ambrosious!"

"Ah, the boy from Madam Malkins…" I pretended I didn't know his name, since he hadn't given it.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. This is Crabbe and Goyle," He said holding his hand out for me to shake, his companions were easily the fattest kids id seen IF you discounted Dudley.

I shook his hand politely but Fred was Glaring at him.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Fred snapped.

Draco ignored him and said to me, ""You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

I sighed.

"IF I had wanted advice, I would have asked. Seeing as I didn't, I'm going to ignore what you just said," He looked mad.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Ambrosious," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as Potters parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

I shot up and stopped Fred or Lee from hitting him.

"Draco… if _you_ know what's good for _you_, you'll leave. Say one more thing about those I count among my friends and family and they won't be able to get to you… but you _will _regret it."

To his credit, this conversation going nearly the same as the one he no doubt had with Harry, he paled and spun on his heel.

"You met that toad before?" Lee asked, as I sat next to Fred. I nodded. "Fool was getting measured at Madam Malkins at the same time Harry and I got there. He wasn't any politer, but hearing my name did shut him up."

The George returned. Fred told him what happened as I put my robes on.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

"I really hope you get sorted to Gryffindor," Fred said. "Nah, I'm too much of pacifist. I'll likely got to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff," I replied.

"As long as it's not Slytherin," Lee shrugged.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and I heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry? And yeh, Avoca?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

I managed to walk near Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Hermione and I.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

That's when we got our first glimpse of Professor McGonagall. Tall, Black hair, emerald robes to match her eyes. She looked as stern as I had imagined,

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. She took us to a small empty room off the hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

I smiled at her as she sternly looked around the room.

"What the -?"

Harry gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"

I laughed. "I'd love to meet this peeves!" that caused the ghosts lo stop and stare.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

The ghosts filed through the wall, and were gone. "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

My first glimpse of the Hall reminded me of the movies. Floating candles and the enchanted ceiling!

Hermione whispered, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

Once we reached the end of the aisle I was the hat. It twitched and soon began to sing:

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

I clapped loudly and somehow was the first, but soon the whole hall joined in.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll." I giggled, and Ron shot me a nasty look.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause -

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

"Ambrosious, Avoca!" McGonagall called, and the Hall went Silent.

The moment the Hat was on my head it whispered, "Why do you believe so strongly that Hufflepuff is best for you? Yes you are Loyal, and friendly, but you are indeed smart and brave…"

I thought about it. I knew that everything over the next 7 years would happen to Gryffindor, but I just didn't know where I really belonged.

I wasn't from here after all. Even if I _was_ supposed to be here, I had limited knowledge.

I thought about it… "Put me where _you_ strongly believe I should be, ser hat. I bow to your judgment," I said. I could tell the hat was stunned. Most would argue, most _had_ argued.

"You prove your own point… but… GRYFFINDOR!"

I stood… the hall was still quiet as I headed to the table. I snuggled my way between the twins, startling the rest of the table. The sorting went on, Susan Bones being next.

Fred leaned down "What took so long?"

"Hmm?" I hummed.

"You were up there for 13 minutes…"

"Was i?" I looked at George who nodded. I shrugged.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" was a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.

She sat near me and stuck her hand out. We shook and soon enough Malfoy was sorted to Slytherin.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon"..., "Nott"..., "Parkinson"..., then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"..., then "Perks, Sally-Anne"..., and then, at last -

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

I grinned at him.

I knew what the hat was saying to him, I also knew what harry was muttering to the hat.

"You and Harry taking the longest times, what's that about," Fred teased. "You know. Always gotta be difficult," I replied, making the twins laugh.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm.

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

At the high Table, At the end nearest them sat Hagrid, who caught Harrys eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. "Is he - a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly.

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

I laughed at Harrys face as I served myself a bit of everything, roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy… however I did not touch the peppermint Hamburgers.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak.

"Can't you - ?"

"I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy - " the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

"Leave him alone!" I said, but Sir Nicholas was already too upset.

"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

"And you really don't wanna know," I muttered, gathering some odd looks.

After a while conversation went back to normal.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.

"What is it?" asked Percy.

"N-nothing."

"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

Purposely acting like I thought he was looking at _me_, I put a hand to my chest and gave him my best innocent look, causing those around us to chuckle, and Dumbledore gave me his best grin. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry and one or two others laughed but no one else did.

"He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy.

"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

_"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"_

_And the school bellowed:_

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff, _

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot, just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins and I were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted our last few lines with his wand and when we had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves - show yourself."

A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it - Neville needed a leg up - and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs. Percy directed everyone to the dorms and I was asleep before my hear hit the pillow.


	5. Tea Time

_Chapter Six_

Tea Time

_ ""There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met." - Jim Henson_

Whispers abounded around Harry and I the next morning. Harry, I knew, only wanted to find his classes… me? I hated it. I had never been one for getting attention, which woked out with how my family treated me, but this?

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. I loved it! The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and the coats of armor could walk.

Peeves was always tricking people into trying locked doors or going up a trick staircase – unless it was me. For some strange reason the Poltergeist had taken a liking to me, and I'm sure it had nothing to do with me giving him ideas.

Argus Filch. He was just as bad as the books described. Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning. Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing by.

Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him.

We put good use to the telescopes we had bought, as every Wednesday at midnight we went to the top of a tower and learned the names of stars and movement of planets. 3 days a week, we had Herbology with Professor Sprout, who was on the bigger side and seemed to love green. Professor Binns, a ghost who had been old when he left his body behind on his way to work, taught History of Magic and though subject was my favorite he made it SO boring, I fell asleep and _swore_ I was still awake, because I was dozing in my dream too.

Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was small enough he could go as a toddler for Halloween, and did indeed have a stack of very thick books at the front of the room that was basically a stool. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight. My name had made him smile so wide I thought his face would crack.

Professor McGonagall was again different. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger and I had made any difference to our matches; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave us a rare smile.

Defense Against the Dark Arts… well, it was taught by Quirrell. That should tell you _everything_ you need to know. The room smelled like garlic, cause apparently he'd met a Vampire in Romania and was afraid it would find him. Supposedly, his turban was a gift from an African prince for getting rid of a zombie, but when Seamus Finnigan asked about the zombie fight, suddenly we were talking about the weather, and there was a funny smell if you got to close to the turban. Fred and George insisted that it was also stuffed with garlic but I knew better.

By Friday, I was known to be close to the Twins, so I was always sitting by or between them. That was also the first day Harry and Ron didn't get lost at all on the way to the Great Hall.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them - we'll be able to see if it's true." I subtly winced. I knew how this was gonna go. Poor Harry.

Just then the Mail arrived. I saw Harrys eyes widen as he got his first piece of mail. I thought I knew what it said but when he showed me, my name was on it too.

Dear Harry and Avoca,

I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?

I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.

Hagrid

I handed Harry a quill and watched him scribble, _Yes, please, see you later_, on the back before sending it with Hedwig.

Potions took place in the Dungeon, of course. Most would find it cold but I had never been affected by cold… just heat. What really made the dungeons creepy, however, were the pickled animals floating in glass jars along the walls. I almost lost my breakfast.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's and my names.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. One of our new - celebrities."

I barely kept from rolling my eyes.

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels. His hair was not nearly as greasy as I would have thought. I was expecting it to basically drip, but his hair – which hung to his shoulders – was relatively clean. Like me, Snape had skin whiter than snow, but that was not surprising.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."

He ignored Hermione's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

This time I actually raised my hand, but made sure to look as though I was hesitant.

Thankfully, this intrigued Snape. "Answer," Was all he said.

"Asphodel and Wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons… and for the question you were _about_ to ask, Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite…" I said.

Snape paled. "Correct… well? Why aren't any you writing this down?" he snapped.

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. "As for you… I suppose 1 point to Gryffindor."

Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy and I. Snape, I knew, liked Malfoy, but I think he slightly feared me. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy and I (as we had been paired) had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's a point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Later on, as I was walking with Harry and Ron I noticed Harry looking like a kicked puppy.

"Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"

At five to three we left the castle and made our way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked we heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang - back."

I perked up. I was gonna meet the giant dog!

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who jumped to me. In the book it had been Ron.

"You must be Fang!" I cooed as I began scratching the large black dog behind the ears.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

I giggled. "I like Fred and George… and I'm pretty sure they adopted me," I said

Ron groaned. "Mom'll love that." I just grinned at him.

The rock cakes were… well, rocks, but with raisins. I used a bit of wandless magic to make mine softer, then ate it… even if it _did_ taste like dirt, I could bring myself to hurt Hagrids feelings. Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them too, as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

We were all delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her - Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really hate me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

But as Hagrid looked away from Harry, I did too. It wasn't yet time for Harry to know about how Snape loved Harrys mother.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot - great with animals."

While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. I remembered that It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST

Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.

Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes-goblin this afternoon.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

And, of course, Hagrid wouldn't look at him. A while later, we all headed back to the castle, pockets full of Rock Cakes we'd been too polite to refuse.

I snuck off to find the twins, who were in the kitchens, just after we entered the castle.

A/N

im looking at updating 2 times on every thursday. but knock on wood, cause best laid plans, lol


	6. Duel

_Chapter Seven_

Duel

_"Nobody can hurt me without my permission." - Mahatma Gandhi_

It had been almost a week. I knew that, by now, Draco had gotten on Harrys nerves.

Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday - and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

"Oh, I don't know… his family estate is pretty well hidden from the world… he may have been able to get some lessons in," I mused. I mean, even Seamus Finnigan had told stories about zooming around the countryside on a broom.

Neville seemed to be the only Pure-Blood who'd never been on a broom in his life, and only because his gran never let him near one! But then… Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book - not that she hadn't tried. I liked her, but I knew she needed to be in the right place on Halloween and that wouldn't happen if she already had a friend…

I seemed to be the only Gryffindor who actively attempted to befriend people in Slytherin. I knew some of them didn't even have friends _in_ Slytherin, and most Gryffindors avoided me because of it. The Twins shrugged it off, saying that it was nice to have an informant on possible victims.

I had realized I'd tuned out all conversation when the mail arrived.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things - this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh... " His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "... you've forgotten something..."

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

"Neville? Where, exactly, are your robes?" I asked, feeling bad at the lost look on his face. "Oh!" He jumped up and rushed from the hall, leaving many people laughing behind him.

At three-thirty, it was time for Flying lessons. The day was beautifully clear, and the grass rippled in the breeze.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain to me about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left. I had laughed it off and said that at least they didn't snap if you went to high.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

So everyone rushed to do as she said. I spotted a broom near her that no one had gotten to, so I claimed it.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" we all shouted.

Harry and I, along with a very few others, were lucky enough to have our brooms jump to us at once. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all.

At the front of our rows, Madam Hooch showed us all how to mount our brooms. She then walked the rows, correcting grips and giving tips. I knew Harry and Ron were ecstatic when she told Draco he had been doing it wrong… for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two-"

Neville, as in the book, didn't let her finish before pushing off the ground.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet.

I knew where this was headed, and if I could just… there! I was in the air like a shot, racing toward Neville as fast as my broom would go. Rather than simply falling off, like he was supposed to, his robe – the one _I_ had reminded him to get, got caught on a statue and he hit the wall hard. I heard the crack of his arm breaking, and only managed to grab his un-broken arm before he could lad and break a leg.

I lowered him softly to the ground.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy - it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear. And Avoca! 20 points to Gryffindor, for that catch," she said before guiding Neville along.

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Draco, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Draco smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble."

I held Hermiones arm. "Look, if you interfere, the Slytherins will say you were part of it. You don't want the trouble," she looked at me, then nodded.

Harry mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared. He looked so happy as he flew. Then he took it higher, earning screams and gasps from most of the girls, and Ron and I shouted out a 'Whoop'.

I could hardly see their faces, but I knew Harrys was fierce and Dracos stunned.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" asked Draco.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry shouted.

"Catch it if you can, then!" Draco yelled out as he threw the ball high into the air, flying himself back to the class.

Harry dived, arm held out, and caught the ball a mere foot from the ground.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Professor McGonagall was running toward them. Harry got to his feet, obviously trembling.

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "- how dare you - might have broken your neck-"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor-"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil-"

"But Malfoy-"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

"Go on, Harry. It'll be fine," I encouraged.

"Miss Ambrosious, I want you to come too," she said sternly. Surprised but keeping my face in a pleasant smile I said, "Of course, Professor."

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to us. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry and I trotting miserably behind her.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

I leaned over to Harry, "Oliver Wood. He's on the Quidditch team…"

Oliver Wood was a fifth year, and he was tall! Sandy hair that was closer to brown than blonde, tan-ish skin, and green-grey eyes.

"Follow me, you three," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.

"In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.

"Potter, Ambrosious, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker."

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"

Harry nodded.

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor - a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..."

"Um, Professor? No we know why Harry is here… but why me?" I asked.

"Oh! Yes, right. I heard from Madam Hooch what you did. How you caught Longbottom before he could break any more than his wrist. I want you to accept a… special position. See we don't have anyone currently set to attempt to catch people who fall off their brooms mid-match. I don't think anyone has ever really thought of that, but hearing what you did… I'd say its time we do. Quidditch _can_ be rough and that with fair weather," She explained, and Wood looked as though he was seeing me for the first time.

I nodded. "I can do that."

Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.

"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

Then she suddenly smiled.

"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

"You're joking!" Ron shouted.

We were at dinner, and Ron had just heard from Harry what Professor McGonagall had done.

"Seeker ?" he said. "But first years never - you must be the youngest house player in about-"

"- a century," said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. "Wood told me."

"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

I giggled. "And she _created_ a position for you?" Ron asked, pointing at me. I nodded.

That's when the twins found us. They sat on either side of me. Fred slung his arm around my waist, George put his over my shoulder.

"Well done, you two. Wood told us. We're on the team too. Beaters," George said in a Low voice. I snorted, "So what _I'm_ hearing, is that you're there to make my job _harder_," that earned me a grin from both the twins, and I smirked.

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

"I'll see you later," I said as they headed off.

Once they were gone, Draco and his friends showed up.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. "Harry… they aren't little, and you know it," I said. Ron snorted a laugh.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested. I snorted.

That was, of course, when Hermione popped up behind Harry.

"Excuse me."

They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying-"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered. I kicked him under the table, but he didn't look apologetic at all. He just glared at me.

"- and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron, as they both got up to leave.

At half past Eleven that night, I was waiting with Hermione in the common room – not that she knew, since I was in the shadows – when the boys came down.

They had almost gotten to the Portrait hole when Hermione said, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy - he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

"You _are_ aware this is most likely a trap, right?" I asked smoothly, causing them all to jump.

"Bloody hell! Where'd you come from?" Ron asked.

I gestured vaguely, resisting the urge to start a 'birds and bees' conversation.

"This is Draco Malfoy. Knowing him, it's a trap. If you _insist_ on going to this duel, regardless, I'm coming with."

"Come on," Harry said to Ron as he pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells." Hermione persisted, following us through the portrait.

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so-"

But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

I sighed. "Safety in numbers. Come on."

"No way!" cried Ron.

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."

"You've got some nerve - " said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. I heard something."

"Relax… it's only Neville," I said as I spotted the boy and went over to him.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere." Ron all but snapped at the poor boy. I glared.

"How's the arm, Neville?" I asked.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later-" Harry started.

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward. I giggled.

We finally reached the Trophy room on the third floor. Of course, Draco and Crabbe hadn't shown up. The Crystal trophy cases sparkled in the moonlight. Cups, shields, plates, and statues made of silver and gold glittered and twinkled. I caught sight of the Quidditch case that Hermione would later point out to Harry, and smiled.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak - and it wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

I let out a soft curse, giving Harry an 'I told you so' look, and grabbed Harry and Rons' arms. They in turn grabbed Hermione and Neville. I was suddenly thankful I was a prank lover, since that meant the twins showed me secret passages. I knew I'd be asked about it later, but for now I dragged us out of Filtchs sniffing range.

Once we were safe, all of us winded, we leaned against a wall.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted. Neville bent double, wheezing.

"I - told - you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I - told - you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. I snorted, "Called it."

"Let's go." Harry sighed.

They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please." Harry Begged

"Hi, Peeves!" I said brightly. He looked at me, and smiled.

"4 new tips if you let us on our way without telling on us," I smirked and he thought it over. "And an extra 2 if you lead Filch on a wild goose chase around the grounds for the next hour."

"Deal!" he said, looking excited. And off he zoomed. Ron looked at me awed. "How - "

"I teach him new pranks and such. He seems to like me about as well as he likes the twins. He never pranks _us_ at least," Hermione looked at me disapprovingly.

That's when we heard, "Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Better safe than sorry," I said using the unlocking charm on the door next to us, since I knew Harry would need to see Fluffy tonight for things to go right. We all piled in and listened.

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go ?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right - please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!"

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay - get off, Neville!" For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "What ?"

That's when Harry and the others got their first sight of the 3-headed dog, who was black as night, heads reaching the tall ceiling, eyes green and filled with rage, and yellow fangs covered in thick drool.

Before anyone could realize that Fluffy was getting over his shock at seeing us, I shoved us all out the door. I knew that Peeves had led Filch off, and they didn't seem to be anywhere close by. I hurried to keep up as the others rushed off toward Gryffindor Tower.

"Where on earth have you all been?" The Fat Lady asked, looking at the bathrobes hanging off our shoulders and our flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

Poor Neville looked as though he'd lost his voice… permanently.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does." I giggled.

Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"A trap door?" I said, making it a question.

"Exactly! It's obviously guarding something."

She stood up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron snapped at her retreating figure. "No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"

As the boys all retired, I headed to the girls rooms. I knew what Harry was thinking of, and it was exactly what he needed to think. I yawned and fell asleep.


	7. Samhain

_Chapter Eight_

Samhain

_"When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, 'tis near Halloween." - Unknown_

I saw Draco staring in disbelief at Harry and Ron, who looked tired but still pretty cheerful. I over-heard Harry telling Ron about the package from Gringotts, and how it had moved the same day as the break-in.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Harry. I silently agreed, and told Fred and George how Filch went on a midnight-goose-chase when I made a deal with Peeves.

Hermione was avoiding Harry and Ron, but that only seemed to make them happy. And then the Mail arrived.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by 2 long, thin package carried by 12 large screech owls. One was dropped to Harry, who caught it in both hands, while one was dropped to me, which I caught with one hand, using wandless magic to slow the decent just slightly enough to not be noticed… by the students.

I didn't even bother opening it, because I knew what both Harrys and my letter said. I opened my letter anyway so Fred and George could read it.

_DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE._

_It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session._

_Professor McGonagall_

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."

I chuckled as Fred and George whispered in my ear.

"If we make a fun way to leave the hall -" George started.

"Will you let us see the new broom?" Fred finished.

"You've caught my interest… deal," I replied with a small grin, eating the last of the bacon on my plate.

Fred stood suddenly. "How _Dare_ you George! You _knew_ I was gonna ask her out!"

"Well you took too long!" George shouted with a smirk.

I stood grabbing my package. "Boys! I haven't giving given an answer, and I refuse to start a fight! Either you both figure out how to deal with this without a fight or find a solution that makes _everyone_ involved happy," I huffed, trying not to laugh as I stomped off to the door.

I had caught sight of the head table though… and Dumbledores smile and seeing McGonagall resting her face in her hands, exasperated, made it that much harder not to laugh.

I came around the corner just in time to hear, "It's not any old broomstick, it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Draco snapped. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Dracos elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances around you and Miss. Ambrosious, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, it is," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.

That's when Fred and George caught up to me, and I opened my package.

They were _ooh_-ing and _ahh_-ing when Lee Jordan came up to us laughing. "You know there's a bet going now? On which of you will end up dating Avoca."

I giggled. "I know who I'd pick, but which twin is in the lead?"

"George, for asking first. Then Fred… but the lead bet is that you'll all end up together," Lee grinned.

"Wait, who would you pick," George asked. I grinned evilly, "If you haven't found out by… my fifth year – your seventh – then I will tell you. Till then, you'll just have to wonder, won't you?"

Even Lee pouted, "But people will forget about the bet by then!"

I gave a mad cackle.

By 7 pm, Harry and I were down at the Quidditch field, flying around. It was my first time on the field, and I took in the 3 gold hoops on either side of the field, and the stands that had 3 of each house near each other, not alternated like id imagined.

"Hey, Potter, come down!"

I knew Wood didn't really need me down there; I just needed to make sure my flying was top form so that I could catch people who fell. Professor McGonagall had given me permission to practice anytime, since I wasn't part of any team.

I saw Oliver open the crate that he had with him, and decided to land and play dumb about Quidditch.

"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers." He pulled out the Quaffle, which reminded me a dodgeball with dents.

"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?"

"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So - that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?"

"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.

"Never mind," said Harry quickly. I giggled, and Harry shot me a grin.

"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper - I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."

"Does that mean you'd also make a good partner? Cause you're a keeper?" I couldn't resist the flirt, and I heard both Harry and Oliver choke.

"Moving on… Take this," Oliver said, his cheeks bright red as he handed Harry a small club that looked like a fat, short baseball bat.

"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are the Bludgers."

The balls he pointed to in the chest looked like… bowling balls. Black ones that didn't have the finger holes. The Bludgers were jumping around in the box trying very hard to escape the magically reinforced straps keeping them in the box.

"Stand back," Wood warned us. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.

At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at Harry's face. Harry swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking his nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air - it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground.

"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team – and now also you, Avoca – The Weasley twins are our Beaters. It's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So - think you've got all that?"

"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry reeled off.

"Very good," said Wood.

"Er - have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked.

"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers-"

"- unless they crack my head open."

"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers - I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves."

I laughed hard enough to snort once.

Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings.

"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages - I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep… Any questions?"

Harry shook his head and I said no.

"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these."

He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, he and Harry were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch.

Harry didn't miss a single one, and Wood was delighted. After half an hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on. Though I _did_ convince wood to 'fall' off his broom so I could catch him at least once for practice. I was glad he was an easy catch.

"That Quidditch Cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."

I went down to field whenever I could to practice my convincing people to fall off the broom, gradually going higher for me to catch from farther away. I could only convince 3 of the Slytherin team but id caught everyone else from the other teams just to be sure.

A few teachers had even watched. No one knew the gloves I wore had a strength enhancement on them so I could lift people I normally wouldn't be able too.

On Halloween morning they woke to the smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan, Ron was partnered with Hermione, and I was partnered with Neville.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick from atop his book tower, "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

It wasn't difficult, but I did pretend to struggle for a few moments to try and boost Nevilles confidence.

In the end I waited till Hermione was about to cast her spell so that I could look okay, but not like a damn genius… I did _not_ want to end up tutoring anyone.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" I said just moments after Hermione. I didn't float mine more than a few feet.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger, and Miss Ambrosious have done it!" he gave us each 5 points.

I spent the rest of the class attempting to teach Neville. Key word… Attempting.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said to Harry and I, as we pushed our way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

As Hermione pushed passed us, I glared at Ron. "That wasn't very nice. You _will_ apologize to her by the end of the day or I will tell Fred and George that you've insulted _me_. That will earn you spiders in your bed for a week, you know."

Ron paled and nodded. "after dinner. I'll try to find her after dinner!"

I nodded.

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this, and I glared at him as we entered the Great Hall.

I sat between the twins, and they put their arms around me as usual. "What did Ickle Ronnikins do to make you mad?" Fred whispered in my ear.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, if he doesn't keep to his word and _fix it_ tonight," I seethed. I knew that Ron and Hermione would be fine, but hearing Ron call her a nightmare… reminded me of my parents and how they'd hated me. They were likely rejoicing that I was gone, it'd been months so they might have noticed by now.

I was eating the last bit of steak when Quirrell rushed into the Hall, Turban tilted to the left and fake terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know."

As he 'fainted', there was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy was in his element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

I split off from the Twins and caught up to Harry and Ron, not that they noticed.

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke." I waited as we passed a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs.

Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.

"I've just thought - Hermione."

"What about her?"

"She doesn't know about the troll."

Ron bit his lip.

"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."

I fought the urge to grip the offending bastard by his ear, as I followed them away from the group.

"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.

Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"

"Search me."

Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.

"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, but Ron held up his hand.

"Can you smell something?"

"It's the damn troll!" I hissed. It smelled worse than a childs stinky nappy.

That's when we saw it, too. It was over 12 foot tall, sickly grey skin that looked rubbery, and it was a lumpy one…. Short, thick legs with flat feet, and a club dragging on the floor behind it because its arms were longer than its legs.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.

"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."

"Good idea," said Ron nervously.

"NO! That's the girls bathroom," I cried out. Harry and Ron paled, "Hermione!"

I yanked the door open and rushed in, the boys on my tail.

Hermione was against the opposite wall, pale as ice and ready to faint, the troll was looking at her as if she was a snack.

"Confuse it!" Harry hissed to us and grabbed the broken tap from one of the sinks, throwing it against a wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, and then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy! Pea-brain!" Ron shouted and tossed a metal pipe, hitting it in the shoulder. The troll didn't seem to notice the pipe… only the shout, as it turned to Ron.

I saw Harry grab Hermiones arm and heard him say, "Come on! Run!" he was pulling but she didn't budge, paralyzed with fear.

I though and saw broken wood from the stalls on the ground. Grabbing a jagged plank I rushed the troll. Hitting it but not stopping so it couldn't hit me.

That's when Harry took a running leap and held onto the trolls neck from behind. He may not have felt Harry hanging on his neck, but he most _certainly_ felt Harrys wand shoved up his nose. I flinched in sympathy.

With a howl, the troll waved his club about, Harry desperately hanging on for dear life.

Ron pulled out his wand as Hermione sank down, and cast the levitation charm on the troll; I cast one on Harry so he wouldn't fall.

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over - and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

I slowly lowered Harry back to the ground, he was shaking and Ron stood there stunned… and so was I. I mean reading about something then living it… books just don't prepare you for life or death situations.

Hermione spoke first, "Is it… dead?"

I shook my head as Harry replied, "I don't think so; I think it's just been knocked out."

He pulled his wand out of the trolls nose, and I shuddered. As he made a disgusted comment I used magic to clean off his wand.

That's when the door slammed open and three teachers burst in; McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell. Snape seemed to Snape out of his shock first and bent over the troll as Quirrell glanced at it and again passed out.

McGonagall was looking at us and she looked _Livid_. Her lips were so pursed they were white.

"What on Earth were you thinking of?!" She shouted, her voice cold with fury. "You're lucky you weren't killed! Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape glared at Harry, and I stepped lightly between them to block Snapes line of sight.

"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had finally managed to get to her feet.

"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron and Harry looked slightly startled.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club, then Avoca caught Harry before he could fall. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

I nodded, as Ron and Harry _attempted_ to look as though this was all true.

"Well - in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermiones head drooped, and Harry looked startled.

"Miss. Granger… 5 points from Gryffindor for this, I'm very disappointed in you. If you aren't hurt, you should get back to the tower. Students are finishing their feast in their houses," McGonagall said, sounding tired.

Hermione left and she turned to us.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

As we walked no one said a word… until we got close to the tower.

"We should have gotten more than 15 points," Ron grumbled.

"10, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."

"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."

"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him.

"_or_ if she hadn't been so upset by _someone_ calling her a nightmare that she felt the need to lock herself in the bathroom in the first place," I remarked snidely, causing Rons cheeks to heat.

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig snout," they said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause.

I nudged ron with my Elbow and he said, "I'm sorry… for calling you a nightmare."

Hermione nodded and all at once we thanked each other. For the rescue, for the taking blame.

From then on, I knew the Trio had been formed. After all, knocking out a 12-foot mountain troll is something you can't share and _not_ become friends.

i know! im awful. i missed the update yesterday. im sooo sorry!


	8. Quidditch

_Chapter Nine_

Quidditch

_"When you've got something to prove, there's nothing greater than a challenge." -Terry Bradshaw_

November! The weather held that chill in the air that I loved. Yes it's true! I love cold weather. The mountains were now an icy grey, the lake was like chilled steel. Frost covered the grounds on a daily basis, and Hagrid was seen defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field if you looked out from the windows upstairs. His long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and beaver-skin boots making him seem more like a huggable giant than anything.

Saturday would be Harrys and my first Quidditch match of the Season: Gryffindor vs Slytherin.

No one had seen Harry play because Oliver Wood had decided that a secret weapon should be… secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and random people kept going up to him tell him either he'd be brilliant or that they hoped I was really good at catching people.

Hermione had instantly taken to helping Harry with his homework so he could do the last-minute Quidditch training… he'd have failed his classes otherwise.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since we had saved her from the mountain troll. The day before our first Quidditch match the 4 of us were out in the courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

I sighed.

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

"Maybe he was bitten by something," I suggested. "I hope it was that three-headed dog on the third floor."

Harry nodded, but looked thoughtful.

That night in the common room, it was loud. The Trio sat by a window going over homework and I was sitting with the twins thinking up pranks for Slytherins. That's when Harry got up and said something to Ron and Hermione. I knew this was when he was going to talk to Snape for Quidditch Through the Ages back and discover that Snape _had_ been bitten by Fluffy. I turned back to the twins, what about sabotaging shampoo? Or a charm to dye hair bright red with black stripes for the Quidditch game?" Fred looked at me like I was a bloody Genius. "Even better would be to set it up outside their common room overnight so when they came out the next morning they'd _all_ be supporting Harry for his first game," I smirked.

Fred and George looked at each other and said, "On it," before both hugged me, and took off.

"Where are they off too?" Lee asked.

"A special surprise for tomorrow's game," I replied and went over to sit with Ron and Hermione, just as Harry got back.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

"I wouldn't. you'd lose that broomstick. Snape was at the banquet the whole time. There were only a few who came and went, but Snape wasn't one of them. If he'd let the troll in, he'd have been less obvious in the Great Hall,"

Hermione nodded. "That's not to say he didn't have someone else do it, but he doesn't seem to _trust_ anyone, so I doubt he'd have someone else do it _for_ him."

Ron and Harry looked like they hadn't thought of that – no surprise – and nodded before heading to bed.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

Everyone kept looking at the Slytherin Table because they had suddenly started showing Gryffindor pride.

I sat between the twins, as usual and they each kissed one of my cheeks, "brilliant," George said. "Perfect," Fred replied.

"Well-done," I responded.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

I stood by Madam Hooch, broom at the ready, waiting for the teams to advance to the fields. Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

Madam Hooch stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand, I stood beside her.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. I smirked as I noticed her gaze linger on the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint. It looked like _no one_ in Slytherin was spared the red hair.

The twins sent me a sly wink.

"Mount your brooms, please." And even I mounted up. I was to fly around the edge of the stadium and hope I wasn't needed… Madam Hooch's words.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

I couldn't help a laugh as Lee commentated.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc - no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

I noticed Hagrid enter the stands to sit by Ron and Hermione.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

I giggled as Harry sped downward, racing the Slytherin Seeker, Higgs. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch - all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul..."

"Jordan, I'm warning you-"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

I snorted and circled the stadium again.

It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch.

It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. I knew what was happening and hovered at the edge of the stadium near Harry, waiting to see if he lost his grip before Ron and Hermione knocked into Quirrell.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no..."

Harrys broom steadily went higher, but I kept even. If he did drop, I didn't wanna have to dive. I'd rather make it to him _before_ he went splat.

The broom began wiggling so hard, Harry was having a hell of a time not dropping. I knew people pointed as I positioned myself beneath him by a few feet. The Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good - every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. The Twins dropped lower and circled, I suppose since my position was still new they likely forgot or were hoping to help if I couldn't.

Suddenly, I knew Hermione had been successful, because Harry was able to right himself, and I flew back to the edge of the field.

Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

I landed next to harry and burst out laughing.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results - Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Harry had gone to Hagrids and I stayed with the twins.

I knew now was when they would find out about Fluffy, and Nicolas Flamel from Hagrid.

Back in the dorm, I was snuggled between the twins, thinking up more epic pranks for people who dared to go against us.


	9. Christmas

_Chapter Ten_

Christmas

_"The best of all gifts around the Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." -Burton Hills_

Mid-December we woke up to several feet of snow. The lake was frozen solid, and I was not pleased. While I loved the cold weather, I really didn't love the snow. Though I did take great joy in the Twins bewitching several snowballs to follow Quirrell and essentially hit Voldemort in the face from under that turban.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

I glared at him, but his focus was on Harry. His minions, Crabbe and Goyle, laughed. Harry ignored them, but Draco had become a first-rate bastard since the Quidditch match. He had been so upset about Gryffindor winning that he'd made several comments about wide-mouthed tree frogs making better Seekers than Harry; then that hadn't worked, he'd returned to taunting Harry about being an orphan.

I had played many pranks on Draco because I took personal offense to that. Neither Harry nor I could go to Private Drive for Christmas… not that I'd want to. I had been the very first name on McGonagalls list of who was staying followed closely by Harry. Honestly, this would be better than if I hadn't been sucked between worlds anyway. As I said before, my parents hated me. And at least the twins and their brothers were staying behind… Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose - that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"Well… this looks like a job for me and your brothers. That little twit is gonna have pink hair by tomorrow," I said to Ron, who didn't even argue.

I went in search of the twins. No surprise, I found them in the kitchen talking about new pranks.

"Draco Malfoy has earned pink hair and… whatever else. He insulted your family. Said Hagrids hut must be a palace in comparison to your home… this is not the first snide remark he's made, but I want him to regret it," I fumed. "He insulted Harry for being an _orphan_, I take that personally. I'm one too after all!"

Fred and George looked at each other and nodded. Draco would have pink hair before he got on the train home day after tomorrow.

I knew that right now, Harry was talking with Hagrid about going to library to research Nicolas Flamel. I knew that Madam Pince had already shooed him away several times.

The twins and I discussed what to do with Draco, and when I ran into Peeves I gave him a brilliant idea for a prank and he gave me his word Draco would be the first to receive it.

The next morning in the Great Hall, Draco had Pink hair, and looked like a chicken. Feathers and all.

Then the Holidays started. Harry and the others were almost always in the Library, looking for information, and I was almost always with the twins. Ron also taught Harry Wizard's Chess, and that was plenty entertaining.

Harry, I knew, would get the Invisibility Cloak, from Dumbledore, a fifty-pence piece from Vernon and Petunia, a whittled flute that sounded like an owl from Hagrid, and a sweater from Mrs. Weasley, chocolate frogs from Hermione.

What I wasn't expecting, was that I also got a flute from Hagrid and a Sweater from Mrs. Weasley… it was light blue with a silver A embroidered on it. I cried when I saw them. When the twins freaked out I explained that I was happy, because they were my first Christmas gifts.

Hermione had also gotten me chocolate frogs.

That's when we got to the Common Room.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Hey, look - Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"

Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G. Ron looked at me, wearing my sweater and then looked at the twins. I knew wekinda matched with the blue.

"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid - we know we're called Gred and Forge."

I sniggered, but I secretly loved that my sweater had an A on it.

"What's all this noise?"

Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry got one."

"I - don't - want -" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater, me trailing behind them.

The Great Hall was quite the sight. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce - and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.

Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Hagrid got redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, and she giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.

Harry had gotten a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and his own new wizard chess set. The white mice had disappeared. I had also gotten a chess set, but I didn't really open many of the Crackers.

We all had a snowball fight, then returned to the Common Room, where Harry was decimated by Ron in Wizards Chess.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge. Percy had tried to get my help, but I found it too amusing.

I knew Harry was going down to the library to find books in the Restricted section, which would end up with him finding the Mirror tonight, and I couldn't help but wonder… what would I see? I figured that since coming to Hogwarts, I had everything I could want.

Regardless, I didn't want to get anywhere near that blasted Mirror. I knew only too well that the effects were not worth it. People had wasted away looking into it. Harry would see his Parents, and when he tried to show Ron tomorrow Ron would see himself as Head boy wearing the badge and Holding the Quidditch cup and the house cup.

Days passed. I knew Harry kept sneaking off to see the Mirror, and I had finally realized I'd never talked to Dumbledore about being from an alternate realm… I think everyone assumed I had some sort of seer capabilities.

I knew that one day soon… possibly before summer break, I'd have to talk with the Headmaster. I just hoped that when that day came, that he'd have the answers I needed.


End file.
